If you’re a Star Wars fan, you probably know who Boba Fett is… but for those who aren’t familiar, Boba Fett is a fictional character from the Star Wars movies, books, video games, and television specials. He is a bounty hunter who served the crime lord Jabba the Hutt and tracked Han Solo through the galaxy. Over the years, Fett has developed quite a following, and Star Wars memorabilia collectors enthusiastically seek to find his character’s prototype action figures.
Boba Fett Proto-type
The Kenner Toy Company developed the prototype action figure in 1979 for their Star Wars toy line. Unfortunately, Kenner pulled the figure from the line as they realized that the toy might be a choking hazard. Kenner made about 100 prototypes, and it is believed that only 24 or so still exist. Boba Fett figures are among the most expensive Star Wars collectibles sold at auction, and prices have escalated rapidly in recent years. This is likely due to Fett’s return to the screen as a character in the Star Wars streaming series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
At just 3 ¾ inches tall, the unpainted Boba Fett L-slot rocket-firing prototype was the star of a recent sale of Star Wars collectibles. Just three months after a record price of $204K was achieved for a Boba Fett J-slot figure, the L-slot figure shot passed it. According to the auctioneer, the L-slot figure was not any rarer than the J-slot, and the condition was a lower grade than previous prototypes, but it still managed to hit its mark. The figure was estimated to make $100 -200K, hitting the high estimate and establishing a new record price once the premium was added: $236K. In addition, the sale had a 100% sell-through rate!
In case you are wondering, the L-Slots have a slot on the back of the figure shaped like a backwards L, while J-Slots have a slot shaped like the letter J. The J-Slot was designed to help prevent accidents since it added an extra step before being released.